Derbyshire fight back on first day

Sports Reporter

Shiv Thakor and Tony Palladino shared a century stand for the eighth wicket as Derbyshire recovered from 161 for 7 to post 275 for 8 on the first day at Northamptonshire.

The pair steadied a badly listing ship after Northants took four wickets in 26 balls shortly after lunch.

A careful hour to tea preceded more comfortable batting after the second break on a wicket that played largely sedately throughout the day.

The partnership of 105 in 34.2 overs rescue the day for the visitors.

Thakor raised his 12th first-class fifty in 109 balls and six fours and his stand with Palladino raised a second batting bonus point.

Palladino missed out on his own half-century by a single run, bowled by Graeme White who finally struck in his 17th over.

It was a fine recovery for Derbyshire after a burst of three wickets in nine balls from Rory Kleinveldt swung the day the home side’s way an hour after lunch.

Resuming 111 for 2, Kleinveldt struck in his first three overs after the break. Hamish Rushford, after adding four more to his lunch total, and Wes Durston - for a fourth-ball duck - got thin edges behind while Neil Broom lost his off stump for just four.

Azharullah then struck to remove Wayne Madsen lbw trying to leave and when Tom Poynton lazily clipped the same bowler to short midwicket, Derbyshire had collapsed to 161 for 7.

Thakor and Palladino regathered the innings with an broken stand of 52 by tea and their evening progress left the day more even.

The morning suggested much better for Derbyshire having won the toss as Chesney Hughes and Billy Godleman gave Derbyshire a strong start.

The openers struck five boundaries in the first 21 balls. Godleman, playing his first game of the season after a thumb injury, lashing anything wide of off stump to the short boundary to the West of the ground. But attempting to drive Ben Sanderson on 32, he edged behind for the opening breakthrough after the best part of an hour’s good progress.

Hughes was more eye-catching, driving beautifully through the covers, with eight boundaries reaching 39 before falling out of his ground trying to flick Sanderson through the leg side, Adam Rossington completed a superbly sharp stumping.

That wicket left Derbyshire 111 for 2 and still in s strong position, only for their afternoon collapse to leave the visitors most grateful for the steady rescue act of Thakor and Palladino.